Chapter 62

Renee

The weekend wasn't as peaceful as I imagined it would be. I did my homework, tried to relax, but the question of who had given Vivian and her horrible friends and whoever else my number was still gnawing at me come Monday. I drifted through my classes trying to weigh people's reactions, trying to figure it out, but I came up with nothing. Heading into lunch, it felt like I was just jumping at shadows and suspecting everyone and anyone. Arielle hadn't changed my number yet, but I had silenced all the random messages that were still popping up. By the end of the day, my inbox was full of voicemail, and my text message chains had at least doubled. All of them were filled with a bunch of the same hate and ignorance as they had been before.

Cheater.

Liar.

Rogue.

Whore.

Over and over and over again.

Going to work and being able to lock my phone away was, oddly, a reprieve I didn't know I needed. I spotted Neil in the office kitchen, half-tucked into a corner while the ancient coffee machine chugged out a new pot. The smell of burnt beans made my stomach turn, but I needed the excuse to be near him.

I needed to know.

“Hey,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. I slid into the line beside him like this was casual, like I wasn’t already wired tight and calculating every word.

He smiled at me, warm and unbothered. “Hey. You look like you need something stronger than coffee. I thought we agreed you were going to sleep at least through half of Saturday.”

“Yeah, well.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Life."

He turned to me with a concerned frown. "What's wrong?"

"Can I… can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

I hesitated. He waited. He didn't even look like he could run out of patience. It was nice and odd and it made me feel stupid, but I couldn't be too careful. Tyler had been nice in the beginning, too. Through most of our relationship really, at least I thought he had…

Then, he'd thrown me off the balcony to my death.

“Did you… share my number with anyone?”

His brows lifted. “What?”

“I mean--- I'm not trying to accuse you or anything,” I rushed, my voice sharper than I meant it to be. “It’s just Vivian’s been messaging me. A lot. And she shouldn’t have my number.”

His face changed. He didn't seem offended or insulted. Just serious. Focused.

“Absolutely not,” he said immediately. “I wouldn’t do that. Have you called the police on her? That's harassment, at least.”

"Well… Arielle is handling it, so.."

He pulled out his phone and held it out to me, unlocked. “She'll need this, hm?"

I blinked. “What?”

“Go ahead.” He handed it over like it was nothing. “Messages, call logs, whatever you need.”

I stared at the phone in my hand, stunned. Not because I didn’t believe him. But because he offered so freely. Tyler had always made his phone feel like it was full of state secrets: face-down on tables, silenced notifications, a lock screen with a pin I couldn't have. He would’ve made a scene just for seeming like I was asking.

I didn't know what to do with Neil just… handing it over. Offering it.

“I—I don’t need to look,” I stammered, flustered despite myself.

"But if you're going to press charges---"

A bodyguard, who had materialized out of nowhere like always, I didn't even know they came in the building, took the phone gently from my hands before I could give it back.

“With your permission?” he asked Neil.

“Whatever you need,” Neil said, glancing down the hall. “Might as well be useful while we’re waiting for this battery acid to finish brewing.”

My bodyguard nodded and passed it off to another one of the security detail as he stepped into the room. He slipped away, promising to have it back to him soon.

Neil turned back to me, completely unfazed. “Vivian really had the never to message you?”

“She’s spiraling.” I shook my head, trying to unclench my shoulders. “She threatened me. Again.”

Neil frowned, like he was ready to storm off and handle it himself.

I caught his sleeve lightly. “I’ve got it under control.”

“I---" He took a deep breath. "It's okay to accept help and support, you know?"

I swallowed, and I nodded.

"And I'm not offering something you have to pay me back for or that I wouldn't give freely."

I blinked at him. My eyes burning, but I nodded.

His eyes grew sad. "Want another hug?"

I shook my head. "I-I'm fine."

"Offer still stands."

I shook my head, smiling a little. "Maybe later."

"Raincheck hug. As you wish."

I chuckled as the coffee machine gurgled and sputtered.

The tension in my shoulders eased slightly to a manageable level. I hadn’t found the traitor yet. But at least I could cross one name off the list.

Maybe two.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, glancing at the door, hoping the guy came back with Neil's phone sooner rather than later. The coffee machine rattled and hissed, but no coffee came. He sighed.

"Seems broken. Café? My treat?"

"But you paid for last night."

"And I'm buying you coffee today, what's the problem?"

He turned, hooking my arm in his and pulling me along. He leaned in to the room he worked in.

"Coffee?"

"Yes!" A bunch of people replied.

"Text me your orders." He chuckled and led me out.

“I can't," I said. "I know this is a lot. And I hate dragging you into the mess and--"

"You're drawing the line at coffee?”

I huffed as he laughed a little. Neil leaned a little closer, shoulder brushing mine as he lowered his voice.

“There’s no dragging, Renee. Not when it comes to your safety. Or your privacy, and coffee should never be a deal breaker… dipping your cookies in tea might be though.”

I scowled at him, swatting him. "You are the worst. I was six!"

He laughed. "Mom still had nightmares of soggy cookies and crumb-filled tea to this day."

I huffed. "I don't do that anymore."

"Because you eat muffins."

I grumbled, but I couldn't deny it. Still, when I looked at him and saw nothing but sincerity in his eyes, I couldn't help but smile.

We walked down stairs towards the café as he went on, softer now, “You’ve already had so much taken from you by people you knew longer than me. I don’t expect you to trust me right away. Even if we share… certain integral attributes to our living status.”

I laughed and he grinned at me. My magic hummed pleasantly, warming my skin a little more than usual. It was like it recognized that Neil meant me no harm. My instincts settled in his presence like they recognized him, even when my mind was still catching up.

His words landed deeper than I expected, though. Not just kind but right. He didn’t demand anything from me. He just… offered space. Respect. Patience. I felt something turn in me, quiet and warm. The kind of turning that made space for trust and maybe a little more to bloom again.

I gave him a small smile. “Thank you. Really.”

He smiled back. “Anytime.”

We ordered for us and his team. He paid for it all, apparently having already established a pay-back system with his team. If it was the last thing I did, I'd get in on it. Before long, our order was finally called. We stepped up to grab our drinks, and we started back toward the hallway that led to the elevator, falling into step together.

“We still need to figure out how to reconcile the report timelines between our two teams,” I said, taking a sip.

Neil groaned. “I’ve been trying to talk my project lead out of that backwards calendar format they swear by. It’s like translating a curse every time I open it.”

“I’m convinced they’re just doing it to mess with us. Intern hazing is a thing. George says so.”

He laughed, "He would know. His brother worked here before."

We turned the corner just as the elevator opened and stopped short.

Dominic was coming out. Since there was only the café and a bunch of sitting areas on this floor, he had to be coming down to get coffee like he didn’t own the building. His appearance sent a jolt down my spine the moment we saw each other.

The air shifted. He turned his head, eyes locking on me instantly, then flicking to Neil at my side.

“Renee,” he greeted evenly. “Neil.”

“Sir,” Neil said with a polite nod.

I echoed the same with a quieter, “Alpha Brightclaw.”

Dominic stepped toward us with slow, deliberate ease. “Didn’t expect to see you both down here.”

“Just grabbing a late caffeine fix,” Neil said.

Dominic’s gaze lingered on me. “I thought you’d be heading home by now.”

“I was… delayed,” I said carefully. “Some things came up.”

“Anything I should be made aware of?”